Where Soul Meets Body
by Blurtitoutalready
Summary: Blaine takes Kurt skydiving to help him process the NYADA news. Vaguely H/C, mostly fluffy. Based heavily on my own skydiving experience. Reviews are always appreciated!


Title from song of the same name by _Death Cab for Cutie_

__Unbeta'd watch out!

* * *

Tuesday afternoon in mid-August found Blaine lounging on Tina's bed while they absently flipped through magazines. The two had begun spending more time together since the summer had begun and their joint senior year approached.

"Kurt's working?" Tina asked, looking up from her copy of _Vintage Life Magazine. _ Blaine nodded and glanced at his watch.

"Yeah he's with Burt at the shop until 6 today. I'm going over there for dinner later – oh! Try to remind me to bring eggs. Carole needs eggs." Tina laughed lightly.

"Eggs. Okay, don't forget eggs." She paused and a concerned look painted over her cheerful expression. "How is Kurt doing anyway? I mean, every time I've seen him he's seemed okay but…." Blaine frowned in acknowledgment and shrugged.

"He's alright. It was a big blow, you know? He's been exploring some other options but he hasn't settled on anything. His confidence definitely took a hit."

"Mine would be too," Tina empathized. "I wish everyone saw Kurt for the amazing guy that he is." Smiling at that, Blaine shifted on the bed to sit upright.

"I wish there was something I could do to just…remind him how many possibilities are still out there waiting for him. NYADA might not be happening but I really, really believe Kurt is destined for big things. I _know _he is." Tina nodded her agreement and the two lapsed into silence for several minutes.

"Kurt needs a shift in perspective, that's all," Tina said softly, breaking the silence. "Have you ever been to Campbell Hill in Bellefontaine?" Blaine raised an eyebrow at her.

"I don't think so….what, where is it?"

"It's about an hour south of Lima. Campbell Hill is the highest point in all of Ohio – there's a tech school at the summit but there's hiking and trails all around. I went on a class trip once when I was a kid and looking over the edge at the peak out at world – it was the most powerful and alive I'd felt in my life." Blaine smoothed his hair over his ears.

"Hiking? Hmm…I don't know. I like the idea but…." Blaine trailed off and didn't continue. Tina leaned forward and when Blaine still didn't respond she snapped her fingers in front of his face. Blaine startled.

"Sorry, sorry but I had an idea – the best idea! I wouldn't have thought of it without you." His eyes lit up but he didn't continue.

"Care to share your – our – brilliance with the class?" She asked with a giggle.

"Sorry! You know Kurt's bucket list? –"

"Blaine I don't think Taylor Lautner –"

"What? No! Skydiving! Kurt has skydiving on his bucket list." Smiling and nodding to himself Blaine put down his magazine and started to stand up. "We'll go skydiving – it'll be great to help give Kurt a new perspective!" Tina smiled up at him uncertainly.

"I didn't know _you _wanted to go skydiving, Blaine…." His smile faltered slightly.

"Honestly I never really thought about it before," he acknowledged. "It does seem fun though and if George Bush Sr. can do it I'm sure Kurt and I can figure it out."

"Well, according to Artie nearly anyone can do it if they're going tandem," Tina offered.

"Artie's been skydiving?"

"Not yet, you have to be 18," Tina explained, "but some of his friends from the skate park who also have disabilities have been before – lots of times. He wants to go on his birthday this year. You should call him: he knows the name of the jump site that's around here and all the rules and stuff." Pulling on his shoes, Blaine nodded.

"You're the best Tina, this is going to be great!" He leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek before quickly heading out the door, already tapping at his phone to bring up Artie's number.

"Don't forget the eggs!" She yelled towards his retreating back.

* * *

By dinnertime that day Blaine had spoken to Artie and gotten all the information he needed and made an appointment with _Heaven's to Betsy Skydiving _for that Saturday. His parent's hadn't been too keen on the idea of skydiving when he'd called to tell them about it, but after explaining that he'd cover the (substantial) cost and reminding them that he was eighteen now – they decided they had better things to do than argue with him about it. Perfect.

He arrived at the Hummel-Hudson house promptly at 6, Carole's eggs in hand.

"Hi honey!" Carole greeted him cheerfully as she pulled open the front door to let him in. "Thanks! What do I owe you?" Blaine followed her into the house.

"Nothing, nothing Mrs. H – I'm going to help eat the food remember?" He teased, setting down the eggs on the kitchen counter. Blaine straightened his bowtie absently. "So….I had an idea," he began. Carole turned and cocked an eyebrow at him when he paused.

"Yes?"

"You know how down Kurt's been lately after the news about NYADA…." Carole sighed, cracking open eggs into a large bowl for meatloaf.

"Poor thing," she said sadly with a shake of her head.

"I want to take Kurt skydiving on Saturday."

"You want to take my son _to do what?_" Burt's booming voice called into the kitchen. Blaine swallowed.

"Skydiving is on Kurt's bucket list, we're both 18 so it's legal for us to go, I can pay for it and it's perfectly safe – really, statistically speaking you're more likely to get hurt driving to the jump site than actually during the dive," Blaine explained nervously. Burt glared at him for an uncomfortably long moment before breaking out into a grin.

"I'm just messing with you kid. I think it's a great idea. You wouldn't catch me jumping out of any perfectly good planes but I know Kurt's talked about it before and it'll be good to get his mind off things. Kurt could use a distraction."

"What could I use?" Kurt asked, finally entering the kitchen. Blaine had to swallow in order to speak after glancing at Kurt in his coveralls with a smudge of grease down the side of his nose.

"Your boyfriend wants to throw you out of a plane," Burt teased. Kurt's eyes widened but Blaine interrupted before he could speak.

"Skydiving! Do you want to go skydiving with me? On Saturday?" With eyes now comically wide Kurt's mouth opened into a perfect O and he launched himself at Blaine, hugging him tightly.

"Really! Really? We're really going?" He asked excitedly.

"We're really going," Blaine parroted back, giving Kurt a squeeze. Delighted, Kurt gave Blaine a hard kiss and nuzzled against his cheek, blushing when he pulled back and saw he'd transferred some of his grease smudge to his boyfriend's cheek. "Sorry," he whispered, "excited." Blaine grinned and gave him a quick peck. Burt and Carole coughed to remind them they were indeed still there and they jumped apart, causing the two adults to laugh.

"Why don't all three of you get washed up?" Prompted Carole. "Dinner will be ready in just a minute and I want to hear all about this upcoming adventure."

Kurt couldn't stop grinning all through dinner – it was the happiest Blaine had seen him since graduation. Blaine explained that there was a jump site about an hour away from Lima and they were going to jump from 10,000 feet in the air tandem with their instructors, Betsy and Ruth. (Blaine neglected to mention that Betty and Ruth were "lady gays!" according to Artie but made a note to tell Kurt later) They'd go through a short training session and then get strapped into their parachutes with their instructors and take a small plane up in the air before jumping together. If they wanted, they could spring for video of the jump.

"The videographer wears a camera and a camcorder strapped to their head!" Blaine explained, still sounding a bit amazed himself, "– and the video records the whole time but there's this straw-tube thing that they bite on when they want to take a picture."

"You guys should definitely do that – I want to see all the video and everything just as soon as you get back," said Burt. Carole laughed.

"Are you sure you don't want to go too, honey?" Burt turned his head and clinked his glass to his wife's.

"Maybe on our next anniversary. Kurt and Blaine can be the guinea pigs – they come back in one piece, maybe then we can go."

"Oh you're not getting _me _up there," Carole warned, "no way. I want swim with the dolphins in Hawaii and during next year's summer recess – that is what we're doing." Carole declared. Burt raised his hands in defeat.

"Right, right, of course."

* * *

Saturday morning Kurt woke up far earlier than was necessary but found he couldn't fall back to sleep. All morning his heart thrummed in excitement. He'd added skydiving to his bucket list on a lark over a year ago but in truth he really wanted to have the experience. Not only did it make him seem worldlier, the physicality of skydiving always appealed to him the same way tumbling, yoga and dance did. After showering and taking his time with his morning skincare routine Kurt pulled on a pair of briefs, his red and blue American Outfitters tank top and his one piece Hanna Jumpsuit that he often wore for Booty Camp back at McKinley. Matched with a smile pair of black sneakers Kurt was ready for the day ahead.

"Feeling nervous?" Burt asked, eyeing Kurt's half-eaten bowl of cereal.

"A little, more excited than anything – I just don't want to throw up on the instructor. God how awful would that be?" Burt blanched.

"Pretty bad. Does that really happen?"

"Artie told Blaine the instructor said it happens like once a month." Burt and Kurt made a shared face of disgust.

"Well, maybe half a bowl of Cheerio's is enough today but make sure you don't get dehydrated. Blaine said you guys might have to wait a long time to get called to your plane." Kurt pointed to the two camelbacks of water he'd set out on the table.

"We're covered. Plus Blaine packed a late lunch picnic for us we're going to take to have after we jump."

"He's gonna be here soon?"

"Any minute now," Kurt answered, checking his phone. He got up and threw away the leftover contents of his attempt at breakfast and rinsed his bowl out to put in the dishwasher. "I'm glad you're okay with us going, dad." Burt shrugged.

"It's kind of freaky I'll admit. You know if I see someone at the store today and they ask where you are I can say, 'oh Kurt is jumping out of an airplane today,' which is pretty scary but I know that it's pretty safe and you're a grown up now. It looks like fun. You deserve some fun this summer." Kurt walked over to his dad and gave him a quick hug.

"Thanks dad." The doorbell rang and Kurt sprang back away from his father. "That's Blaine!" He squealed. "We're really going!" Burt chuckled as Kurt hurried to answer the door. He barely got a look at Blaine before Kurt was rushing them out the door with a quick, "Bye dad! Love you!"

The ride to _Heaven's to Betsy Skydiving _was quiet – both young men buzzing with nervous energy, tapping their fingers along to the music from Blaine's plugged in iPod. When they were about a mile away from the jump site Blaine reached forward to fiddle with his iPod and the original Broadway cast recording of _Defying Gravity _came blasting through the speakers of his car. Kurt grabbed his hand and they both sang with abandon as they pulled into the long parking lot, taking in the small hanger and handful of tiny-looking aircrafts.

"Good morning!" Called an older woman with blonde wavy hair and friendly green eyes after they parked and walked into the hanger. "I'm Betsy and this is my place! Are you two the Anderson-Hummel party?" Kurt blinked at the name – it made them seem like they were married – but quickly smiled and nodded. "That's us." She looked them over.

"First timer's eh?" Blaine swallowed.

"Yeah." With a mischievous look in her eye Betsy turned and picked up two clipboards, returning a moment later to hand them to Kurt and Blaine. Both clipboards were securing a few sheets of paper with a scull and crossbones at for the header.

"Waivers," she explained, "just in case either of you go splat!" Kurt scowled at her chuckling face and looked down to read his waiver.

_**WARNING**_

_Skydiving, Parachuting and all its related activities can be dangerous and there are risks involved in your participation. You can be seriously injured or even killed as a result of your participation in skydiving or its related activities._

_If you can not assume all moral, mental, physical and financial responsibility for your participation – do not jump here!_

Heaven's to Betsy Skydiving _and all other parties related to Skydiving here DO NOT HAVE INSURANCE of any kind to help you in the event of an injury._

_There were 3.5 million jumps made in the U.S.A in the year 2000 with over 250+ thousand student jumps. The average fatality rate has been 35 deaths each year for the past 10 years._

_I, the undersigned, understand and accept these risks as they have been explained to me. _

_Signature_ Date__

"You're sure about this Kurt?" Blaine asked. Kurt looked up and looked in his boyfriend, eyes full of determination.

"I want to go. Another first to cross of the list, right?" Blaine smiled and signed his waiver.

"Let's do this!"

Let's do this became 'let's sit around and wait for four hours as it looks like the other five couples who are here get to go before us' so Kurt and Blaine entertained themselves by exploring the hanger and checking out the various planes – taking pictures of each other posing around all of planes and then taking more pictures once they were suited up in their skydiving jumpsuits (which Kurt made by hand after a quick google search alerted him to the less than chic designs and fits usually worn by student jumpers). They watched a 10 minute safety video that amounted to 'do whatever your tandem instructor says and you won't die' three times and watched the other couples squeeze into the tiny air plane, make the 18 minute assent into the sky and then dive. When it was finally their turn, Ruth, Betsy's co-owner and partner, lead them into a special room in the hanger had them practice their "arches" which would stabilize them enough in the air to pull their parachutes once the time came. Getting on to the arching device was a bit like climbing onto a horse – easy enough for Blaine but getting the arch position just right took a few minutes of Ruth's coaching. Kurt tumbled off the contraption when he first tried to get on, but his arch was perfect ("Kurt's _really _flexible," Blaine commented, trying not to leer while the instructor was right there with her hand on Kurt's back). After they'd both perfected their arches and Ruth checked to make sure their suits were secured in the right spots she lead them out into the open room where the parachutes and other gear sat out waiting for them.

"Kurt you're with Betsy here and Blaine you're with me," Ruth explained. "Each of us have jumped over 5,000 times – you boys will be just fine." Reassured, Kurt let Betsy shuffle up behind him and hook him into her gear.

Walking while connected to another person was a strange task, but climbing backwards into a tiny, tiny airplane with someone strapped to your back proved far more difficult. Eventually the foursome managed and the photographer, who was jumping solo, climbed in last. The plane whirred loud in their ears as it pulled out of the hanger and slowly began to climb into the air. Kurt shuffled himself and Betsy around so he could sort-of face Blaine.

"Thank you, I love you" he mouthed at his boyfriend. Blaine grinned at him and mouthed back, "I love you too."

"Yep, everybody loves each other," Ruth cut in loudly, laughing as Kurt and Blaine blushed. "Now that we've got that out of the way let me remind you of how we're going to do this. When we are 10,000 feet up the plane will slow way down and Mark here, our photographer will open the door and Kurt – you shuffle forward with Betsy and step directly onto the wheel of the plane, one foot at a time. Once you're both clear you keep your head tucked down into your chest and then you push forward and down and that will propel you out of the plane. Once you're out you will summersault until you arch so I need you to arch correctly, right away. That's the important part. Blaine and I will follow immediately after. When we tap your shoulder you pull the chute and your parachutes will open and we will make the slow descent back to Earth. Everybody clear?" Kurt and Blaine nodded their understanding.

"Good," said Betsy, "and no one's backing out? Last chance." They shook their heads and Betsy laughed. "Great. We're going to have a kickass first jump for you both!" As the plane climbed Kurt could feel the color drain from his face from nerves. Blaine gave him a look of concern but Kurt shook his head – he was doing this. After what felt like no time at all the plane lurched as it slowed down and Mark wrenched open the door, the wind whipping into the cockpit. Betsy tapped him on the shoulder and Kurt swallowed hard before wriggling up to the door and edging a foot out and onto the axle of the plane's wheel. Betsy's weight against his back felt steady and calming as they both fit themselves tightly onto the axle and bent their extremities in towards their cores.

Kurt risked one last, quick look back up into the plane to a nervous looking Blaine before bowing his head and throwing himself forward, plummeting out of the plane. Betsy had explained they'd free fall at about 135 miles an hour and Kurt felt every single one of those as they flipped twice and he moved into the arch. He could sort-of hear Betsy screaming something like "good, good," in his ear but the wind whipping past him drowned out nearly everything else. His face felt like it was getting the best lift ever as the wind pushed against him – looking up he saw Blaine and Ruth come tumbling out of the plane followed momentarily by Mark the photographer. Kurt kept his back arched up high and his mouth fell open in awe at the sky whizzing past him.

After what felt like only a few seconds Betsy tapped him on the shoulder and Kurt pulled the chord for their parachute, jerking backwards and up as the chute opened and he halted dramatically in speed. The rushing in his ears stopped and the world was quiet. More quiet than it had ever been in his life. He glanced up and saw that Blaine's parachute opened as well. Letting out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding, Kurt let his shoulders relax and give in to the gentle, serene, floating feeling overtaking him. He could see for miles and miles, see so far out he could just make out the gentle sloping of the earths curve.

Far-off farms to the left and a small village to the right, cars looked like little ants. It was like being in a plane but so much different, he thought to himself. The sun felt warm on the top of his head, his body felt light and buoyant – he felt free. Kurt pictured a leaf slowly swishing down after falling from a tree and giggled at the thought he was just doing a giant sized version of that. The photographer, Mark, floated up to him and he gave him the thumbs up and a big silly grin for the photo.

Mark floated away quickly enough and maneuvered his way over to Blaine and Ruth. Kurt couldn't stop smiling. Every foot they descended he felt warmth and energy filling him up. This was the most serene experience of his life and he felt calm and powerful – like he could do anything since he was literally on top of the world. With a gentle smile Kurt let his mind empty of everything save for the warmth and happiness he was feeling, stretching out his fingers and toes into the air.

As they made their final few minutes of descent Blaine and Ruth somehow ended up next to them (Kurt couldn't even imagine how the instructors managed to control where the parachute directed them – but right now his job was to enjoy rather than understand) and he was glad to be able to look into Blaine's shining eyes and take his and in his own. They sped up as they approached the Earth and Kurt only just remembered the instructions they'd been told so they didn't crash. The two started running in the air until their feet hit solid ground and they ran forward, the weight of their instructors pushing them forward until the two instructors unhooked and fell back as Kurt and Blaine ran the last few feet alone before tumbling to the ground, laughing wildly, wrapped around each other.

Kurt surged forward as they finally stopped and captured Blaine's mouth with his own, giving him a searing kiss. They pulled back, both flushed and light headed, and fell backwards, breaking out into another round of giggles.

"We survived!" Blaine exclaimed happily.

"We were fabulous!" Cried Kurt, clutching his stomach.

"You boys did great for a first jump," cut in Betsy, eyeing them affectionately. "You both alright?"

"I'm….I'm perfect," gasped Kurt, closing his eyes and trying to commit the weightless, flying feeling as it faded from his senses. He let Betsy take his and Blaine's hands and pull them up into standing positions.

"Congratulations," Ruth said as they stumbled their way back to the hanger.

"Thank you," Kurt said brightly.

"Those are some cool threads you both have on," Ruth observed as they sat down on the couch in the hanger's office and waited for their video to burn onto a DVD, "you sure you guys haven't dived before?" Kurt shook his head.

"We were definitely skydiving virgins before this. I designed and sewed our suits. I'm glad you like them."

"Huh, they look great – just like the real thing – you could do that for a living kid," Ruth praised, running a hand through her messy windblown hair. Kurt grinned and bit his lip.

"Maybe. Maybe." Ruth stood up and walked into another room – returning with a small case.

Ah..is that our DVD?" Kurt asked anxiously.

Betsy nodded, "and the pictures are on this too, after the video."

"Great – so now we have irrefutable proof we actually did this," whispered Kurt, still kind of amazed with himself. They took the DVD from her, thanked both instructors and walked back to Blaine's car. Once they were seated, Blaine leaned forward to kiss Kurt's rosy cheek.

"Did you have fun?" he asked quietly. Kurt wrapped his arms around Blaine's neck and gave him a proper kiss

"This was the best day. Thank you, thank you. What an adventure."

"Everyday is an adventure with you Kurt. You can do anything." Kurt kissed him again, slow and luxuriously.

"I know that. Thank you for the reminder. This was just what I needed. Kurt Hummel is officially back in action."

_Fin_


End file.
